Breton Master Class with Jean-Michel Veillon

Stranmillis College Wednesday April 16th

Jean-Michel Veillon

Jean-Michel Veillon is one of the most renowned performers on the wooden flute in the world of Celtic music. He pioneered the use of this instrument in Breton music and has influenced an entire generation musicians in Brittany and beyond. His musical style is sensitive yet powerful, full of energy, subtlety, and great feeling.

Born in Frehel, near St. Brieuc in Cotes D’Armor, he started Breton dancing at the age of 12, and began playing the bombard at the age of 14. He began playing wooden flute in 1977, and developed a great interest in Irish music and culture, learning tunes from Desi Wilkinson and Paddy O’Neill. He has had a long association and friendship with many Belfast flute players especially BelfastTrad’s own Davy Maguire.

Since the early 1980s Jean-Michel has performed and recorded with nearly every Breton band of note – Kornog, Pennou Skoulm, Den, and Barzaz to name a few – and also collaborates in duet with many of Brittany’s finest guitarists including Yvon Riou with whom he recorded a live album, Beo!, in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich in Belfast in 2000.

This master class is open to advanced and professional players of Irish traditional music on any acoustic instrument who wish to explore the repertoire and subtle rhythms of Breton music with one of its greatest masters. The workshop is not particularly about flute playing, but about the music itself and how to interpret it. As a powerful player or Irish traditional tunes., Jean-Michel certainly knows a thing or two about how to move between these two great Celtic traditions.